Major update on search for little Xielo Maruziva who fell in river as cops bring in Nicola Bulley ‘expert’

COPS have brought in a diving “expert” to help locate a two-year-old boy who fell into the River Soar.

Xielo Maruziva is still missing after he fell into the river in Aylestone, Leicestershire, last Sunday while he was with his family.

His dad jumped in and desperately tried to save him before the youngster was swept away by the water.

Police have now called in Peter Faulding – who helped with the search for Nicola Bulley, 45, after she vanished on January 27 last year.

Faulding, 61, said Leicestershire Police had “ignored” his offers for over a week after family members asking him to help search for little Xielo.

Xielo’s grandmother, Kayela Smith said police had “refused” the help of Peter and his team at Special Group International (SGI) – despite him offering to work for free.

However, police revealed today they would now be allowing the group to assist with the search from tomorrow.

Faulding has been the CEO of SGI since 1995.

Assistant Chief Constable Michaela Kerr said: “We continue to be grateful to the support we’ve been shown by the public and colleagues from other forces and agencies.

“We’re in regular contact with Xielo’s family and are continuing to support them in what remains a very upsetting time.

“Our search operation to locate Xielo continues to widen as we know he may have travelled further from where he went into the water – and potentially outside our force area.

“I would like to reassure you that our operation is continuing and our teams will be carrying out co-ordinated searches at various points along the river.

“Our decision to involve SGI in the search in liaison with Xielo’s family and having spoken to both the company and independent specialists.

“I’d also like to remind the public that the river is dangerous and that they should not go into the water themselves. Thank you.”

The force also said they had now widened the search parameter along the river.

Speaking yesterday about helping search for Xielo, Peter said: “The family pleaded with me to help them search.

“I said I’d do it free of charge – my team is ready to roll straight away.

“We’ve got the best equipment in the world, and I’ve got an untarnished reputation for finding 10 drowning victims per year.

“We’re not some amateur team. But we’ve been ignored by the police.

“We’ve put constant requests in to help find Xielo since Wednesday – but we’ve heard nothing back. Or, they’ve said they’ve got enough resources.

“This isn’t about police hatred – it’s about finding a two-year-old boy, the same age as my own grandson.”

Peter previously led the private search for Nicola after she disappeared while walking her dog in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire

During the search, Peter claimed he found Nicola’s body “within six minutes” and was later slammed in a report for causing “unwarranted distress.”